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For the love of Mac N Cheese

As I’ve gotten older, I noticed that carbs make me tired and sluggish. So I really try to limit the amount I eat. But I love macaroni and cheese! It’s my ultimate comfort food! So when a good friend sent me a link to Jack Daniels Bacon Mac N Cheese, I knew I was going to have to make it {especially if I couldn’t find it at any restaurant near by}.

There are lots of recipes for bacon mac and cheese, but the recipe by The Slow Roasted Italian is what stopped my scroll!

If this mac n cheese clip doesn’t make your mouth water, I’m not sure we can be friends!

So, truth? I’m not a foodie or an amazing cook. But I can hold my own, and once in a while I actually like to make the millions of recipes that I see on Facebook or that I pin to my Pinterest Boards. On a whim, I decided I was going to try making this. At the time, I couldn’t pull up the actual recipe fast enough, so I got the ingredients based on the video, without knowing how much I actually needed. Also, the Trader Joe’s I was at didn’t have the exact ingredients, so I bought similar substitutions. In my head I figured you really can’t go wrong with this one. It’s cheese, bacon, and Jack Daniels. I could eat that in a bowl as is!

These are the cheeses I ended up with…

bacon mac n cheese

And the Hubs brought this Jack Daniel’s home, which was a Honey whiskey. I figured it would give it the same taste as having maple or candied bacon. I was not disappointed.

jack daniels

 

The recipe says you can prep your spices & shred your cheese while the bacon cooks. I would suggest doing it before you start. For me, once my pan got hot, even on low heat, the bacon cooked fast and I had to watch it to make sure it wouldn’t burn. The other problem I had while cooking the bacon was trying not to sneak a few pieces to munch on.

If you succeed in getting ALL the bacon on a plate without snacking, the only conclusion I can come up with is that you’re either a vegetarian or not human.

bacon

I think this picture is missing about a quarter cup of bacon bits.

 

The rest of the recipe came together pretty well. To feed a bigger group you can double the recipe, which is what I did. But I kept the same ratio for the chili paste because I didn’t want as big of a kick. I might even leave it out next time. It’s just not a flavor I needed in my mac n cheese.

bacon mac n cheesebacon mac n cheese

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

bacon mac n cheese

 

For me the final result was a total win! The members in my family who love mac n cheese loved it too! This is one of those dishes that I would sneak to the refrigerator at midnight to eat–even cold!

If you’ve tried this dish or have a favorite mac n cheese recipe, please comment below! I am always looking for yummy macaroni & cheese dishes (and friends who share in the love❤️)

bacon mac n cheese
Print Recipe

Jack Daniels Bacon Mac N Cheese

Enjoy this recipe from The Slow Roased Italian, over and over! If you are looking for the perfect comfort food for all your senses, this Jack Daniel Bacon Mac & Cheese is it!
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time30 mins
Total Time40 mins

Ingredients

  • ½ tsp kosher salt + more for pasta water
  • 12 oz Hickory smoked peppered bacon uncooked
  • 2 Tbsp unsalted butter
  • ½ cup Jack Daniel's Whiskey
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon New Mexico chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon chili pepper paste
  • ½ tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 cups milk
  • 4 ounces extra sharp cheddar white, shredded
  • 2 ounces smoked provolone cheese shredded
  • 2 ounces Asiago cheese shredded
  • 8 oz dry elbow pasta
  • croutons garnish

Instructions

  • Bring an 8 quart covered pot filled with water to a boil over high heat. Once it boils, add a handful of salt and pasta. Reduce heat to medium high and cook uncovered to al dente (has a bite to it). Drain and set aside.
  • Meanwhile warm a large 12” skillet over medium-high heat. Using clean kitchen shears cut bacon into bite size pieces over the skillet and let them to fall into the pan. Stir occasionally as needed. Cook until crisp.
  • While the bacon is cooking, shred cheeses and prepare remaining ingredients.
  • Once bacon is cooked through, remove bacon to a bowl with a slotted spoon. Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings and discard the rest. Wipe the side of the skillet to avoid flame ups.
  • Pour reserved bacon drippings back into the skillet over medium heat and add butter. Once melted add flour and whisk to combine. Add spices, chili paste, Worcestershire, whiskey and chicken broth. Whisk to combine. Allow to come to a bubble for 3 minutes, whisking occasionally to help pick up the bits on the bottom of the pan. Add milk. Whisk to combine. Bring back to a bubble and add cheeses. Stir until cheese is melted and smooth.
  • Add pasta to sauce and stir to combine. Add bacon. Cook pasta in sauce for 5 minutes over medium heat until sauce thickens and the pasta has a chance to absorb some of the sauce.
  • Sprinkle with croutons, if desired.
  • Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Jack Daniel's substitions: You can use beer, bourbon, or chicken broth for best results

 

bacon mac n cheese

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One-Pot Seafood Paella

Some recipe blogs begin with something like, “I remember my mom making paella every Sunday night!” *sigh* If only I could have had that memory. While I had similar Filipino dishes growing up, sadly, I never actually had the spanish paella (pronounced pah-EH-yah). As an adult I had the pleasure of trying it, and every now and again since, the craving for it hits me hard!

There is something about the paella smell of onion and broth, the seafood, the sausage and the saffron color that is pure magic to the senses.

The one-pot thing is something that every mom will be down with too. It’s like an instant pot meal but prettier. And if you’re looking to impress company or for bragging rights at a pot luck party, this is your dish. It’s definitely a show stopper! If you’ve never had paella, imagine beautifully seasoned yellow rice with a meat, usually yummy chorizo sausage, some seafood, chicken, even rabbit sometimes (pick what you want) arranged around the top. The colors of yellow, red, and maybe some green garnish in the form of peas or parsley make this dish enticing to the eyes as well as the stomach!

There are so many wonderful recipes out there. In fact I have a few pinned on pinterest if you want to give some others a try, including a vegan, gluten-free quinoa paella option. My brother-in-law (Chef Jonathon) will tell you that paella is really a major holiday dish that can take longer to prepare if you do it the right way–homemade broth, fire roasted spanish peppers, outdoors on an open flame. Admittedly saffron is an expensive spice and bomba rice is not easily found in most grocery stores as well. Conversely, paella can also be made simpler with any white rice, chicken, and kielbasa sausage. But if you’re tummy is rumbling for a fairly traditional spanish rice and seafood paella, follow the recipe below!

paella recipe
Print Recipe

One-Pot Seafood Paella

Cook Time45 mins
Servings: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 8 oz Spanish dry-cured chorizo cut into 1/2-inch dice
  • 1 pound extra large or jumbo shrimp peeled and deveined
  • 1 pound cleaned squid cut into 1/2-inch thick rings
  • 1 pound mussels or little neck clams scrubbed and cleaned
  • 1 large onion chopped
  • 1 red pepper bell cored, seeded and diced small
  • 4 cloves garlic minced
  • kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
  • 1 1/2 cups bomba Calasparra Rice or other white rice
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/2 tsp saffron threads
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 4 cups less-sodium chicken broth
  • 1 14 oz can diced tomatoes with their juice
  • 1/2 cup frozen peas
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

  • In a large pan (preferably a paella pan), heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chorizo and sauté until browned, about 4 minutes. Remove the chorizo with a slotted spoon to a plate and set aside.
  • Add the shrimp to the pan and sauté just until they begin to turn pink, about 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on another plate. Repeat with the squid, cooking for about 1 minute, and transfer that to the plate with the shrimp. Add the onion, pepper, and garlic, season with salt and pepper and sauté over medium heat until the onion and pepper begin to turn tender, about 3 minutes.
  • Stir in the rice, paprika, and the saffron, and cook, stirring constantly, until the grains are well-coated with the oil and vegetable mixture. Stir the chorizo back into the mixture. Pour the wine into the pan, then add the broth and tomatoes, and bring to a simmer over medium high heat. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover the pan, and continue to simmer gently until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid, about 20 minutes.
  • Turn the heat up to medium, remove the lid and gently stir in the partially cooked shrimp. Add the mussels or clams and cover with the lid. Let the paella cook for another 8 minutes or so, until the shrimp and the rice are just about cooked and the mussels or clams have opened. Lift the lid and distribute the partly cooked squid on top, then sprinkle the top of the paella with the peas. Cover the pan, and let the paella cook for another 3 to 4 minutes until the seafood has cooked through and the peas are cooked and bright green. Garnish with lemon wedges and sprinkle the paella with the parsley. Serve hot from the pan.

What I love about this dish, is that you could plop the pan right on the table and everyone could help themselves! Add an easy salad, some warm bread, and of course you can’t forget the sangria!

If you’ve tried the recipe, please let me know how it turned out!

paella